Pierced ears

[Katiebee]

The daughter of a friend of mine had her ears pierced 4 months ago, but they still aren't healed. Is there anything she can do to speed things up? She's tried salt water bathing and surgical spirit, but nothing seems to be working. Thanks, in advance.

[molly]

When my daughter had her ears pierced she had studs put in. We felt that there wasn't enough air circulating round the piercing and we changed the studs to hoops. That did the trick and they heeled in no time after that.I would suggest that surgical spirit is too strong. We were advised to use a sea salt solution twice or three tmes a day. What kind of metal are the earings? Surgical steel is best, or gold as they are inert. It's just possible she could be having a reaction to the metal.

[treaclefight]

everthing molly says is 100% correct, my cousins ears didnt heal for ages, however, her problem was the absent minded fiddling with the sore ear lobes all the time, reinfecting them every five minutes with her kiddie germs and greasy hair (sorry charlie, but you know it's true). take molly's advice and combine that with a two week excessive hygiene campaign, it worked for charlie (who is now a very beautiful, germ and grease free telephonist, so i assume the ears are fine).

[molly]

Sorry, I forgot to say. Contrary to what was once thought, she should not "turn" her earings every so often. Modern thinking is that you should not do this as -(a), you can transfer germs from her hands and thus get an infection. -(b), the "crustyness" that forms is part of the healing process, and by constantly breaking this crust it has the same effect as picking a scab. Good luck to your friend's daughter. I'm sure they'll heel soon.

[Katiebee]

Thanks to you both! She has gold stud earrings in. I quite agree that probably hoops would be better - I can see the logic - but she is at school and hoops aren't allowed, even small ones! I'll pass on your ideas of the intensive sea-salt bathing and fingers-off approach, and hope they work! Thanks again girls!